


Not Quite Normal

by Tutter_the_mouse



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Explicit Language because the kids can say fuck, Will add characters and relationships as they appear
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-28
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:34:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21589180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tutter_the_mouse/pseuds/Tutter_the_mouse
Summary: Life is normalPartially boring, partially frustrating (dealing with idiots), partially terrifying (dealing with idiots and assholes), and partially tiresome (dealing with existing), which is pretty doable and almost tolerable given what there is to work with. Especially tolerable with friends, but significantly less tolerable and a lot more confusing with random people popping up who definitely don't belong there.AKA a sense8 au which is low-key a superpower au in of itself because Sense8 is amazing, as is the premise
Relationships: Joyce Byers/Bob Newby





	1. Mike

Living in Hawkins isn’t miserable, in fact it's pretty fun sometimes. As long as you have at least one close friend, and some basic hobbies, and don’t stand out much, and seem dull enough to not have anything for people to pick on you for. Just gotta be careful because people suck and life will suck if you let the people who suck mess with you. So it’s best to just have your one, maybe two friends and stick it out through the school days and have fun in the comfort of your own home, or in the middle of the woods. Which has been Mike’s mindset for a solid 10 years (little Mike was much more outgoing and was subsequently much more stupid and open to bullying in his opinion). But he isn’t dumb enough for that anymore, shut that down by the time he was in kindergarten. 

He has Will and his sisters and his two other friends that he could play DnD with, which is more than enough to satisfy any social interaction he needs. DnD with Will, Nancy, and Jonathan when he was younger was the most fun but Nancy is “too mature” for that now and Jonathon “has better things to do” so eventually it was just him and Will so they had to make new friends, which Will was excited for but Mike was decidedly not. 

Like it’s fine now but Jake and Luke are still annoying sometimes. Nancy says its cause he is "absolutely incapable of making friends" and is a "cold asshole to everyone" etcetera. But what else is he supposed to do? Be nice and get screwed over, be outgoing and get mocked? Hell no, he is just fine with Will, DnD, video games, and all the cool tech stuff he gets from Bob.He used to actually like hanging out with Nancy, but apparently she’s too cool for him and won’t even go to the arcade with him anymore. Which is fine, lame on her part, but fine. Jonathon rarely hangs out with him and Will either which is also fine, and more valid than Nancy. At least Jonathon has an actual reason, and still tries to talk to him. 

Will’s house in general is more fun than his own, even though it's way smaller. Like Mrs. Byers is super fun even though she’s weird sometimes. She always gives good advice, and doesn’t push him to be more outgoing or think he’s weird. His mom is cool too but she isn’t AS fun or as good at advice, Mrs. Byers just always seems to know better advice and seems to just understand things. She’s not exactly the most ‘normal’ either which probably helps.

Plus Will’s house is backed to the woods which is awesome, there’s a creek that they always go to and used to catch frogs there a couple years ago. They’re too old for that now, but it’s still fun to hang out. Him and Will like to just walk further sometimes but Mrs. Byers gets worried if they get too close to the building back there. He overheard her saying how much she hates living so close to it to Bob so many times over the years, but it's just a building. The people that work there don’t even make any noise that could be annoying, and even if they did, she could always just move. He’s glad she hasn’t though, or else he wouldn’t have Will, who is the only aspect of living in Hawkins that makes it bearable.

Luke and Jake are annoying, but not Will, never Will surprisingly. Obviously, there are some things they disagree on and Mike will never be able to sit still long enough to learn to draw something nice or enjoy hiking or swimming or any of physical activities that Will likes. He still does them sometimes, obviously he would do them with Will, but they don’t have to do everything together contrary to popular belief, NANCY. Will doesn’t really like legos, somehow doesn’t have the patience to write out a DnD campaign but will spend hours drawing which Mike will never understand, and he only pretends to like the puzzles and the stuff Bob gives them. Which is fine, great actually because they are not actually the same person no matter what Nancy says.

She just doesn’t get it, the two of them can do things together and do other things together but not TOGETHER. They can just chill by the creek and Will can draw and he can read. Or they can be in Mike’s room and he can do a puzzle and Will can pretend to help every once in a while and instead attempt his math hw. It’s nice just coexisting with someone so easily. It feels like they don’t need to say anything because they just know, sort of like how Mrs. Byers seems to just understand, but a lot …. more.  
Even when they are in their own rooms doing their own things it still feels like they're existing together. Even when they're apart they still just know, and when they’re together there’s no need to play catch up, or need to talk just to fill the silence. It’s nice. Probably the only nice thing he has going for him in Hawkins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmk if you like it! We'll be seeing everyone else soon. Also the first set of chapters are going to be mostly setting up the plot and characters, it'll get more interesting later on I promise. Or at least I hope you'll think its interesting lol.


	2. Dustin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in this none of the party know each other except Mike and Will, the rest of the characters are divided among them in very different places. Also I'm kind of new to this and don't know how to format stuff that well yet, I'll probably change things as I get the hang of it, please lmk how easy it is to read and what I can do to make it look better :)

Dustin loves the small ice cream shop down the street from his house. Steve getting a job there is literally the best thing that has happened to him in recent Dustin history. It was a great place to study and do homework, he gets to annoy steve, consume free ice cream, AND he ended up making a new friend with his coworker Robin who is THE coolest person ever. Well... usually Dustin gets to annoy Steve, but when there’s lulls in customers the two idiots behind the counter mange to get the upper hand sometimes, not necessarily by bugging him, but by being general idiots. 

“Dude, don’t you think it’s weird your only friends are like 5 years older than you?” In the middle of doing his math homework is a prime example. Would’ve been a little mean, but Steve has been using that same question as a way to pick on him for the past 5 years. And after a while of him, Robin, his mom, and his other friends saying it, shit just got annoying. Besides, “I have friends, Steven, you and Robin are just cooler”  
“Please stop calling me Steven”  
“Dustin I don’t think anyone has thought Steve was cool since he was in 8th grade”  
“Excuse you, I am reasonably popular thank you very much”  
Great, here we go again. Another “argument" is underway, hopefully a customer comes in soon and saves him from the inevitable.  
“We go to the same school, Dingus, you can’t lie like that”  
“Robin, you are literally a lame ass band geek who runs a code cracking club and doesn’t socialize with anyone outside your small circle of lame ass underclassmen”  
Alas, he is trapped with the bickering of his friends around him and no foreseeable escape.  
“Fuck you, band is cool and at least I’m not some rich dipshit that barely passes his classes”  
“Low blow, but at least I can drive and am not a crusty freshman”  
“Your best friend is a 12 year old you babysit”  
“I’m still here guys” and so is the math homework that is only halfway done at the moment.  
“Well jokes on you cause I’m YOUR best friend”  
“...guys” Dear god that old couple better come inside and rescue him  
“I deny that accusation”  
Hallelujah, they’re coming in “Guyssss, there’s a customerrrr”  
“Robin, you have literally said so multiple times”  
“Not true”  
“Guys” Great they’re too stupid and blind and are going to get fired, probably would’ve already if Keith gave a single fuck about anything.  
“I have it on video Robin you can’t-”  
“Anything recorded without permission of the person, or if obtained unlawfully cannot be used-”  
“Why are you so annoying? Being my friend isn’t a crime, just admit I’m your best friend!”  
“I’m annoying? Have you had to listen to yourself?”  
“Nice try but I have been told I have a nice voice”  
“By who, exactly?”  
“By all the girls I’ve been with and all the ones that wish they could get with me”  
“Oh, so no one then”  
“Hey, I get girls”  
“Oh really, how many girlfriends have you had?”  
“More than you!”  
“Low blow... but you know straight girls have low standar-”  
Okay enough is enough, and old people are always a risk and Robin should really be more self-aware when arguing with Steve: “GUYS”  
“Yes, Dustin”  
“What’s up, Henderson?”  
“You’re obnoxious and have two customers”  
“Oops”  
“How can I help you folks today?”

The fact the two of them managed to maintain this job for so long is astounding. Well, not really Steve somehow got it the summer before his freshman year and had no one to distract him besides Dustin until Robin came along two years later. So it makes sense, they do their work and Robin is smart enough to not get them in trouble and Keith probably wouldn’t even care if they did. Which was very lucky for him, but he wished the old people would leave now because he needs to beg Robin into doing his math homework.

God math was boring, eavesdropping on the people in the booth behind him is so much more entertaining. Something about a new construction project out in the depths of the outback one of the guys is working on for some nitpicking assholes who micromanage everything. 

Yeesh sounds like his algebra teacher. Who he’s scared of, who probably would not appreciate the fact he’s doodling in the margins and not doing his work, and is instead eavesdropping. But it sounds like there’s another person now, a kid complaining about a dude named Luke? Also is someone pouring water? It sounds like there’s water? Neither of the new noises are one of the guys who are still talking about the construction project, did one of them have a kid he didn’t notice? Sounds like someone around his age, a new friend perhaps? The dude probably wants a new one by the sound of how much he dislikes Luke. Also Steve has the water jug so where is that noise coming from? With his curiosity getting the better of him and another unsuccessful attempt at number 8 on the worksheet, he finally decides to turn around.

And… there’s no kid, he can’t hear his voice anymore either, so maybe he left. But it doesn’t look like anyone was there in the first place and the guys are looking at him weird now, time to turn back around and finish his work so he can actually enjoy eating at the food court with Steve and Robin. The past 5 minutes were weird but it's time to focus now, but it's hard because it feels too loud, like he’s in the school cafeteria or something even though he KNOWS it's not actually loud and there's not that many people in the shop right now. The trickling water noise is gone though. This is still so weird maybe he’s like overstimulated or something, that happens to people right? Maybe if he just lays his head down… 

“Hey Henderson! You feeling okay, here’s some water, maybe you should eat something, did you eat after school, do you want...”  
Well, the background noise is gone now but it was replaced by a very worried Steve staring at him while Robin distractedly helps a customer.  
“Yeah, I’m fine”  
“Are you sure, I can take you home or call your mom or we can go eat in like 15 minutes”  
He's fine but confused and little concerned, nothing Steve needs to worry about right now  
“I’m fine, we don’t need to leave early”  
“Dustin... its not early, our shift ends in 10 minutes… are you sure you’re okay”  
“Yeah, I’m fine, promise” But now he was even more confused  
“Okay I’ll try and be quick”  
“Yeah, okay”  
Maybe he wasn’t okay though. He feels normal now, but that was definitely not normal, or maybe his homework and school stress just got to him. But looking at the half finished worksheet in front of him as calm indie music floats through the ice cream shop while Robin passive aggressively serves someone who walked in right before closing... everything perfectly normal…

Something deep down told him it wasn’t, and that he was not okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Dustin is in Australia! Idk slang and don't want to embarrass myself so there won't be anything like that. Also Steve is a junior in high school, Robin is a freshman, and Dustin is in middle school. In case you didn't catch it, Steve used to babysit Dustin when we was a preteen himself and Dustin got attached. I'm also imagining a Dustin that is mixed because Stranger things is VERY white and the likelihood of so many white people in a cluster is very unlikely and Sense8 spoiled me with diversity so ;)


	3. Erica

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Erica is aged up, not related to Lucas and is in the UK. I feel like no one includes her in anything and I love her, so she's going to be a part of the main gang.

People are annoying as fuck, her friends are the only thing that is keeping her sane enough to not go off in the middle of class and commit a crime. Would it be murder? Vulgar and profane language? Being “aggressive” by calling people on their bullshit? Who knows, probably all three at this point, but it’s fine because class is going to end in five minutes and then she can hang out with Maddy for the 5 minute walk to Chemistry and enjoy the rest of her time at this miserable prison the administration has the audacity to call a school. 

Well that’s a little harsh, the ENTIRE administration and student body isn’t bad. Like her friends are amazing, and her seat partner from the weird architecture elective they started up this year is pretty chill. The teacher for that class is cool too. Same for chemistry, math… and Mr. Clark who runs the Physics and Chemistry club is pretty great. There is a possibility that she has less of a hatred for the people and teachers from those classes and clubs because she’s good at them and enjoys them. But... no, pretty sure she just managed to have good teachers for subjects she’s good at. And literally everyone else on campus sucks ass, so yeah. Which adds up to a grand total of 11 people that are tolerable, maybe 12 if Caden’s boyfriend doesn’t turn out to be a jerk (Erica and Fay agreed to keep an eye on that, and he seems fine but then again she has yet to meet a single boy that hasn’t turned out to be crusty as hell, and most of them agree Caden could do better).

Another stupid comment from another obnoxious kid in the back, means another look at the clock. And wow it has been one of the longest minutes of her life, every minute in this class is actually. Only 4 more to go though, which means everyone’s packing up, which means Mr.CondescendingJerk is going to snap in 3...2...1  
“Excuse me, we still have 4 minutes left of class and given the fact only half of you have above a C in my class, you need every minute. If I see anyone put their stuff away before I dismiss you, you will be losing participation points” 

Great plan, dock points for people so they can get even lower grades because you suck at teaching, Genius! A part of her is tempted to go ahead anyway just to piss him off, but Maddy is giving her a look saying “we cannot lose anymore points in this class” which isn’t true for Erica (much to her teacher’s dismay) but she’d be damned if anyone found out she had perfect grades. She’s already got enough shit from being in “nerdy” clubs and dealing with all these white people, but hey that’s school.

Which sucks, and sometimes she wishes there were people she could spill her guts to, like REALLY talk to, she obviously can’t tell her friends too much since she’s already in this lie too deep and can’t afford to be even nerdier than she has already let them see her be. Her parents would lose their minds if she talked to them about how annoying the school is and it wouldn’t lead to anything except them considering switching schools, which would be the end of Erica’s life because it is highly doubtful she will be able to find as amazing of friends as the ones she has now. Which leaves approximately zero people she can actually talk to about everything, leaving her poor dog to suffer with hearing her rambling at home.

God she wants to go home. But alas there are three more minutes left of this class that seems never ending. Three more minutes. Three more minutes. THREE more minutes. Threeeeeeeee more minutes. THREEEEEE- wow this class is terrible. Apparently the teacher is actually trying to teach still which is absolutely ridiculous since no one is listening. And there is still three more minutes of this class holy shit. At least she has Maddy... speaking of, it seems about time to try and communicate her frustrations across the room to try and stop her self from screaming. The two of them manage to keep themselves entertained for the remaining two minutes, through the power of friendship and all, and race out the door once the bell finally rings.

"Is it just me, or was that extra terrible today"  
"It's not just you, I'm pretty sure everyone in that class was ready to lose their minds"  
"Isn't that everyday though?"  
"True, have fun in chemistry see you at lunch!"  
"Yeah yeah, I bet you're just going to have the time of your life in English aren' you"  
"Ugh, don't make me think about it until I get there Erica"  
"Fine, fine I'll see you later"

And now its just Chemistry and then lunch and then math and then architecture, all smooth sailing from here on out as long as no one in her classes manage to be unbelievably stupid. Chemistry is over at a reasonable pace, which is a blessing after the everlasting morning she just had and now she gets a full 45 minutes of freedom. Relative freedom, she's still stuck here, and she still has to deal with people. But hey, it's better than being in her morning classes and having to learn. Or it would be if people weren't so fucking loud. It got unbearable sometimes, she's been meaning to start bringing headphones with her but she always manages to lose them. 

So now she just has to deal with the noise and eat, but it's a lot which is part of the reason she likes going to her clubs so much. It's always so much quieter. Most of the girls are already at their table by the time she makes it through the crowds of people and she is ready to scream but Jackie just smiles and pulls her down next to her and starts chattering about the stray cat she found last night as Fay squishes up next to her. It's nice and she wants to focus on what Jada is saying but everything is so loud, some peace and quiet would be so nice right now. She can imagine it, sitting by a creek in the woods, no loud cars or screaming kids, fresh air and nothing to bug her except the hard rock she's perching on, there's indie music coming from the trees and- wait what

Her eyes fly open and for some reason the cafeteria table looks way different than it usually does, it looks kind of cute actually, which is definitely not normal, what the hell.  
"Hey, Erica you okay girl?" Jackie was gently holding her shoulder and Erica knew the rest of the girls were probably weirded out too.  
"Huh, yeah I'm fine" It feels like there's an echo but the table goes back to normal so that's good.  
"You, sure you're feeling okay we can go to the bathroom" Jackie murmurs and Jada, Fay and Caden are already standing up  
"No, I'm fine we don't need to leave early"  
"Erica... there's only 5 minutes before lunch ends we were about to wake you up anyway, it's fine"  
"I fell asleep?"  
"Um...yes? You need to go to the nurse?" Erica randomly having a 40 minute nap in one of the loudest parts of the school was weird enough for her, but Jackie is actually worried now  
"You should probably eat something" Maddy interjected  
"Uh, yeah Ms. Scott lets people eat in her class I'll just eat then"  
"You, better"  
"Don't worry ladies, I'll make sure of it" Mia gets out around her last mouthful of food tugs on Erica's arm "Come on Erica, let's gooooo"

And off they go to one of the best classes she has, not that Mia would agree since "math is disgusting and it makes me sad to think about" but Erica's glad she's here. Especially after whatever weird... thing just happened. Is she going crazy, those assholes in elementary school always called her weird and there's still jerks around but maybe they were on to something. If she's hallucinating is she ill? Should she tell her parents when she gets home? What would they even do? What would the doctor say or do? Put her in a psychiatric ward? No probably just say its stress, yeah its probably stress bu- 

"Hey girl you okay?"  
"...Yeah, yeah I'm good, promise"  
"Are you getting enough sleep or like-"

Of course! Stress and lack of sleep, why didn't her mind jump to that! Why did it have to go to insanity and stuff, she's an actual idiot.

"I just haven't been sleeping well, the fan is broken in my room, it has been wayyyy to hot"   
"That sucks... we should all have a sleepover at Caden's house, I'm sure you'll sleep better on the ~divine beds of the Shady Glen estates of the glorious~"  
"Girl shut up, we just had a sleepover at Caden's like last week" She was laughing now at the posh accent Mia was trying to pull off but it really was the worst  
"Oh, C'mon rich people love having guests"  
"You got me there"  
"Imma ask her later"   
"You are the worst, a future gold digger perhaps?"  
"You know it babe"

The two of them were cackling and practically at Ms. Scott's and she was feeling a lot better now, and the room was so much nicer than the cafeteria. But as she starts to snack on her lunch the nagging suspicion that everything is not alright creeped into the forefront of her brain, and she is probably going to have to ask her seat partner for notes after class cause she is not really listening to Ms. Scott. Not on purpose, but because something deep down was telling her that she was not okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm also not from the UK so not going to try and include any slang just take my word for it that she's there. Lmk what you think!


End file.
